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Matt Carthy has said that Ryanair have disregarded EU regulations by providing misleading information on passenger rights.

Speaking this week in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Carthy said:

“Under EU regulation, airlines must provide compensation to passengers affected by flight cancellations. This includes providing a refund, an alternative flight with the airline, or by offering an alternative flight with a competitor airline.

“Ryanair didn’t inform passengers of their rights to receive compensation on alternative airlines.

“Ryanair further avoided informing its passengers of compensation rights for extra expenses, such as food and accommodation, incurred as result of the flight cancellation.

“Ryanair has deliberately mislead customers concerning their rights as passengers under EU Regulations.

“They refused to disclose such information on compensation rights until its hand was forced.

“But we shouldn’t be surprised by Ryanair’s disrespectful behaviour towards its passengers as for years its CEO has prided himself on the company’s disrespectful treatment towards its workers.

“Ryanair refuses to negotiate with trade unions, and forbids its workers from organising across their many bases.

“This debacle of cancelled flights is the direct result of pilots and workers fleeing Ryanair.

“Pilots and workers will not remain in a company that treats them disrespectfully and forbids their right to mobilise for better conditions.

“The episode demonstrates that promoting competitiveness to the detriment of workers’ rights will not succeed.

“As a member of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, I vote to prioritise the rights of workers in the transport sector knowing that it only by doing so that we can secure a sustainable public transport network.

“Unfortunately, the EU often encourages increased competition without safeguarding the effect that this has on workers and, in turn, allows companies to neglect their responsibilities towards their workforce.

“The EU must stopping pushing ahead with its regressive competition agenda in the transport sector and instead understand that flights cannot run without workers.”